A traditional access control system is architected around a reader, an access control panel, and an electronic door activating hardware device. The readers receive credentials from users and transmit the received credentials to the access control panel. The access control panel stores a preset list of authorized credentials and checks the information passed from the reader against the preset list of authorized credentials to determine whether that user is authorized to perform its desired action, e.g., be allowed access to a particular area. If it is determined that the user is authorized to perform its desired action, the access control panel can unlock the electronic door activating hardware.
Traditional access control systems lack support for the rapid management of users and the provisioning of access to guests because all of the authorized credentials must be synced with the access control panel. This process of synching the credentials can involve numerous steps of human involvement on the part of building management and the access or security management company. In addition, the process can involve modifying multiple pieces of software for the actual updating of the access control panel, and can also involve updating the different ways of communicating and updating access information for owners, users, and guests. Moreover, an upgrade to the reader can require substantial changes to the underlying system.